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MALDEN -- After over 80 years of providing young men with a Catholic education, Malden Catholic High School, a Xaverian Brothers school, is moving forward with plans to open a school for girls in September 2018.

Expected to be operational for the 2018-2019 school year, the school will be distinct from the current school for boys, although both schools will operate under the governance of Malden Catholic.

Lisa Cenca, currently the director of Specialized Learning, will head the school for girls. Brother Thomas Puccio, CFX, will continue to head the boys' school, while Thomas Doherty will remain headmaster of Malden Catholic.

In the beginning, at least, most of the school for girls will occupy a part of the campus that formerly housed the Xaverian Brothers, said Doherty, who, with Cenca, spoke to The Pilot about the upcoming school, May 12.

The brothers moved off the campus around four years ago, however, Doherty continued, so that space will be renovated as well "as well as a small amount of the existing school."

Some facilities, including the gymnasium and the auditorium, will be used by both schools.

For the most part, the two schools will stay separated from each other, although Doherty noted that there is hope "there will be some combined activities, opportunities for the boys and girls to socially interact outside of classroom hours."